The present invention relates in general to multirange automobile type speakers for stereo sound reproducing systems and the like, and more particularly to two-way stereo speaker structures for compact automobiles and the like having severely limited space capable of providing tweeter and midrange sound reproducers and mounting structure conveniently adaptable to mounting such speakers on the doors of compact automobiles and the like.
Conventional electrodynamic speakers customarily comprise a cone of semi-rigid material which is secured at its outer edge to a rigid frame. In many instances, the cone is corrugated near the outer edge to provide a degree of flexibility in this region of the cone so as to permit the cone to move as a piston under the influence of a voice coil which is secured to the cone at its apex. The voice coil is located within a cylindrical gap of a magnet which provides a substantially constant magnetic field across the gap. The magnetic field set up by the audio frequency currents supplied to the voice coil interacts with the constant field of the magnet with the result that physical forces are applied to the voice coil which tend to move the voice coil and the attached cone in a direction parallel to the axis of the cone.
In recent years, with the advent of sophisticated stereo radio receiver and tape player systems in automobiles, the demand for good fidelity speakers structurally suitable for the automobile environment, with its inherent restrictions of space, size, and shock loading limitations, has continuously increased, and design of speakers to meet these conditions has become progressively difficult, especially with the advent of compact cars and reduced weight and size of cars to accommodate to the petroleum shortage problems.
Many automobile type speakers in current use are of the two-way or three-way type. These speakers customarily separate the audio spectrum so that the large cone speaker handles the bass part of sound, and a second or third speaker handles the "midrange" and treble or tweeter part of the sound spectrum. Space limitations, particularly the depth required for ordinary speakers of customary configuration, which are hereinafter generally referred to as "deep" speakers, create severe problems for those desiring to install high fidelity stereo sound systems in small automobiles, particularly where it is desired to provide such two-way or three-way speakers in the doors of automobiles such as compact cars and X-body cars. The depth and mechanical nature of ordinary deep speakers is simply such that they are incapable of being reasonably incorporated in door mount systems or limited depth locations in compact or X-body automobiles.
Furthermore, it is normal in the mounting of conventional speakers to secure the basket or main ring portion of the speaker by screw fasteners applied from the rear onto a structurally rigid baffle board to mount the basket or mounting frame, the cone, the centering spider, the voice coil support and the voice coil on the stationary baffle wall, and separately attach the speaker grille or exterior speaker panel onto the baffle by screw fasteners or similar fasteners applied from the front of the baffle or wall in which the speaker is mounted. However, where it is desired to mount the speaker in a door or similar limited access structural portion of an automobile, or in the walls or ceiling of a room, it is usually not possible to attach any part of the speaker structure to the wall from the rear. Further, it is unsightly to mount the speaker grille or panel on the mounting surface. For this reason, it is desirable to provide some arrangement whereby the basket or main annular frame portion of the speaker supporting the cone and voice coil and magnet and pole structure, and supporting the tweeter, treble or high frequency sound reproducing speaker section or component, by some mounting method or system whereby the basket or annular main supporting ring portion may be screw-mounted or fastened to the baffle board or interior wall panel of the vehicle door, or other wall or barrier surface of a room, by fasteners directed rearwardly from the front surface of the mounting wall, and provide fastening devices on the grille or speaker panel permitting it to be advanced rearwardly into contact with the other speaker components and fastened thereto from in front of the speaker.
Also, in deep speakers of the customary construction, the flexible leads that connect the audio power to the lower range speaker components, such as the woofer speaker components, handling frequencies up to about 4000 HZ, and which connect the audio power to the tweeter and/or midrange section, are usually flexible leads that connect to the woofer and are extended and connect to the tweeter and/or midrange section through flexible leads. However, in the limited space constrictions encountered for automobile door installations for compacts and X-body automobiles, speakers designed to the limited depth dimensions available are so limited in space that connection of flexible leads between the woofer and the higher frequency midrange/tweeter speaker is so difficult as to be impractical.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel multirange speaker construction for limited spaces in automobile doors and like constricted space installations, arranged to facilitate mounting of the speaker components by fasteners applied from the front of the speaker structure and having a novel grille structure or speaker panel which can be assembled with the remaining speaker components from the front of the speaker.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of the novel slim speaker structure including multirange speaker sections, as for high fidelity stereo sound systems in automobiles and the like, especially adapted for compact automobiles, wherein the speaker is designed especially to fit into limited spaces such as doors and like constricted locations in compact automobiles and the like requiring very thin speaker structures, while still maintaining good sound reproduction from plural sound generating diaphragm structures designed for different frequency ranges.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel speaker system as described in either of the two preceding paragraphs, wherein novel electrical connection means are provided to achieve efficient speaker designs of highly restricted slim speaker restrictions.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.